Gormley (horse)
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Gormley (foaled March 20, 2014, in
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
) is a two-time Grade I winning-American
Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...
racehorse. One of the leading contenders on the
2017 Road to the Kentucky Derby The 2017 Road to the Kentucky Derby was a series of races through which horses qualified for the 2017 Kentucky Derby, which was held on May 6. The field for the Derby was limited to 20 horses, with up to four 'also eligibles' in case of a late with ...
, Gormley finished ninth in the Derby and fourth in the
Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...
. He was retired in October 2017 to Spendthrift Farm, where his sire, Malibu Moon also stood.


Background

Gormley is a bay stallion with a thin blaze and a sock on his left-hind leg. His sire is Malibu Moon, best known as the sire of Kentucky Derby winner Orb. He is the first foal out of Race to Urga, a stakes winner by Bernstein. Gormley was bred by Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate and was entered in the Keeneland September Sale as a yearling, but did not reach his reserve price of $150,000. He was then purchased privately after the sale by Jerry and Ann Moss. Gormley is named after British sculptor
Antony Gormley Sir Antony Mark David Gormley (born 30 August 1950) is a British sculptor. His works include the ''Angel of the North'', a public sculpture in Gateshead in the north of England, commissioned in 1994 and erected in February 1998; ''Another Pla ...
. "It was a name I was familiar with from my many trips to England," said Ann Moss. "I’ve tried to buy a few of his sculptures, but I couldn’t get it done."


2016: two-year-old season

Gormley made his debut in a Maiden Special Weight on September 9, and won impressively by 4 1/4 lengths. He was ridden by jockey
Victor Espinoza Victor Espinoza (born May 23, 1972) is a Mexican jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing who won the Triple Crown in 2015 on American Pharoah. He began riding in his native Mexico and went on to compete at racetracks in California. He has wo ...
, who had worked with him through the summer. His trainer,
John Shirreffs John A. Shirreffs (born June 1, 1945, in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. Based in California, Vietnam War veteran John Shirreffs began training Thoroughbreds in 1978. He has won a number of stakes races w ...
, was so impressed with him that he entered him in the Grade I
FrontRunner Stakes The American Pharoah Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of September during the fall meet at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A Grade I event, it is open to two-year-old horses and is held at a distance ...
off his maiden victory, where he was sent off at odds of 10.80-1. Gormley broke well, went to the lead on the first turn, and led the rest of the way. His winning margin was three lengths over the well-regarded Klimt, winner of the Del Mar Futurity. After the race, Shirreffs stated: "He looks like a million bucks, he's a beautiful horse and he's doing really well. I like that when he got into that big gear he has, he didn't get too excited for a young horse and today he was all business." On November 5, Gormley ran in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita, as third choice in a field of eleven that was considered fairly evenly matched. He bobbled at the break, then moved into fifth while racing four wide. Rounding the final turn, he started to drop back, eventually finishing seventh.


2017: three-year-old season

Gormley began his three-year-old campaign on January 7, 2017, by winning the one-mile Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park, where he was the second choice behind the highly regarded colt American Anthem, who was making his second career start. On a sloppy track, Gormley broke quickly and took the early lead, but then settled and let American Anthem take the lead. Gormley raced in second, about a length behind. Down the backstretch, Gormley moved alongside and the two horses fought for the lead around the far turn. Gormley started to pull ahead a little in mid-stretch, but American Anthem battled back, and the two dueled to the wire, with Gormley prevailing to win by a short head. After the race, Shirreffs said: "He's quick. He starts quick and he gets away quickly, but then he checks himself as he gets into the race and he relaxes. It was great to see him pick it back up again and get it done." After his win in the Sham Stakes, Gormley was entered in the
San Felipe Stakes The San Felipe Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade II event open to three-year-old horses. Normally held in early -March, it is raced at a distance of one and one ...
, also at Santa Anita, on March 11. After stalking most of the race, he faded during the homestretch, finishing fourth behind Term of Art, Iliad, and winner Mastery. Gormley raced in the Santa Anita Derby, one of the major
Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...
preps. Despite his San Felipe run, he was liked by the bettors and was installed at 9/2 odds for the
morning line Glossary of North American horse racing: Additional glossaries at: *Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting *Glossary of equestrian terms This is a basic glossary of equestrian terms that includes both technical terminology and jargon ...
. With American Anthem, Battle of Midway, and stablemate Royal Mo engaged in a speed duel in front, Espinoza altered his tactics and had Gormley stalk from behind. As they entered the stretch, Gormley started to rally past his tiring rivals, winning by a half-length. Espinoza noted: "He works really hard and that’s what it takes.” After his win,
B. Wayne Hughes Bradley Wayne Hughes (September 28, 1933 – August 18, 2021) was an American billionaire businessman, the founder and chairman of Public Storage, the largest self-storage company in the U.S. doing business as a real estate investment trust (RE ...
announced that he had purchased Gormley's breeding rights, and that he will stand Gormley at his
Spendthrift Farm Spendthrift Farm is a thoroughbred race horse breeding farm and burial site in Lexington, Kentucky, currently owned by Eric & Tammy Gustavson. It was founded by Leslie Combs II and named for the great stallion Spendthrift, who was owned by Combs' a ...
when he retires from racing. Spendthrift Farm also owns Gormley's sire, Malibu Moon, who is the sire of
Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...
winner Orb. On May 6, Gormley started in the
2017 Kentucky Derby The 2017 Kentucky Derby (in full, the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, due to sponsorship) was the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby, and took place on Saturday, May 6, 2017. The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held each year in Louisv ...
where he was largely dismissed by the bettors at odds of 20-1. Starting from post position in 18 in a field of 20, he was carried four wide around both turns. He started to make a run at the top of the stretch but was bumped slightly and forced to switch paths by Practical Joke, then faded to ninth. Espinoza stated: “I had a great trip, but not enough horse. He never really picked up the bridle.” Gormley made his next start in the
Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...
, and was made 8-1 on morning line odds. Gormley raced near the early pace and mounted a challenge around the far turn but tired down the stretch to finish fourth, four lengths behind third place-runner Patch, and eight lengths in front of fifth place finisher Senior Investment. On August 26, Gormley raced in the ungraded
Shared Belief Stakes The Shared Belief Stakes (formerly the El Cajon Stakes) is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the last week of August or the first week of September at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. Open to three-year-old horses, th ...
at Del Mar. He broke well, stayed in fourth position on the backstretch and far turn, but never threatened the leaders, finishing a flat fourth, beaten 10 3/4 lengths by winner Battle of Midway. Espinoza said: “He ran all right. I think he needed it. He’ll be better next time.”


Race record


Pedigree

Gormley is inbred 3x4 to Mr. Prospector, meaning that Mr. Prospector appears once in the third generation and once in the fourth generation of his pedigree.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gormley 2014 racehorse births Thoroughbred family 23-b American Grade 1 Stakes winners Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States